Mold forces builders to update techniques

[Guest guest]

Mold forces builders to update techniques

Lennox family paid high price to evict spores

Sioux Falls Argus Leader - Sioux Falls,SD

KELLY HILDEBRANDT

khildebr@...

PUBLISHED: October 10, 2006

http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?

AID=/20061010/NEWS/610100330/1001/NEWS

Asbestos and lead paint are environmental concerns of yesteryear

that once had homeowners scurrying to rid their homes of them.

Now the dirty word is mold.

It's been around forever, but a growing awareness and flurry of high-

priced litigation has caused contractors recently to change how they

build homes.

The side effects of mold are mostly speculative and not

scientifically proven. Recent concerns have spurred construction

businesses to prevent mold growth with new techniques and supplies.

Companies such as GeoTek Engineering & Testing Services Inc., which

does air-quality consulting, have never been busier. Tim Wilkinson,

with GeoTek, said they get up to five calls a week.

For Chad Howe, it's a real issue even if the health risks of mold

are unproven. Howe, a resident of Lennox, had a $169,000 mold

problem in a home he paid half that amount to buy.

Doctors have never directly linked his wife's health problems to the

mold growing behind the wainscoting all throughout his house. But

Howe has no doubt that was what caused the flu symptoms, hair loss,

blackouts and other problems.

" The sicker she got, the more she stayed in the house, which made it

worse, " Howe said.

Home builders such as Beatch, of Beatch Construction, now

must work to meet new energy efficiency standards while also letting

air circulate to prevent mold growth. Homeowners must try to

determine what kinds of mold are OK, if it really is that dangerous

and how to prevent and get rid of it.

Most innocuous

Mold is a part of every home. Right now, it's growing in various

nooks and crannies around your house.

Curtis Yost of AAA Home Inspections LLC finds molds of all kinds

fairly often in homes.

" Generally, by the time you see it on your walls, it's usually going

to be a lot worse behind the Sheetrock, " Yost said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has never issued

regulations for airborne mold contamination and generally considers

it harmless for people in small amounts unless they suffer from

allergies or asthma.

Most molds can simply be wiped up with no problems, but large

amounts of mold can be unhealthy. It can be dangerous if it's

disturbed, which is why most companies suggest calling an expert.

Molds that release toxins, like stachybotrys, have been dubbed black

mold, and that is what people have grown suspicious of.

" Many people believe that these toxins can cause severe health

problems, but it's very much unproven, " explained Brennan, an

allergy specialist at Sioux Valley Clinic - Allergy.

Howe had seven different types of mold spores growing behind the

wainscoting in his home, some of which were the type that release

toxins.

He watched his wife suffer from health problems in 2001 that he

thought were flu related. But they didn't go away and culminated in

hair loss, blackouts and seizures.

A doctor suggested mold might be a problem, and Howe insisted he

didn't even see any mold in the house. Then one day, he pulled some

panels of wainscoting off the wall. Underneath, he found big

blotches of mold growing on the wall.

Once the house started to be torn apart, he saw that it was growing

behind the kitchen counters, built-in-hutch and other places.

" It was everywhere and in places you just wouldn't ever think to

look at, " he said.

Tricks of the trade

Stachybotrys typically grows on water-damaged materials, something

many Sioux Falls residents have experienced during flooding in past

years. Mold starts growing within 48 hours if damaged items such as

carpeting and Sheetrock aren't properly dried, Wilkinson said. It

also grows more easily on Sheetrock than plaster.

An offshoot of more-energy efficient homes is that air can't leak

out, and that creates better conditions for mold growth.

" They're wrapped so tight that moisture can't be leaked out of the

house, " said Dick LaCroix, of LaCroix Construction. Also, people are

using their basements more than in years past, LaCroix said.

Wainscoting, which was in Howe's home, is something most builders

try to avoid now, Beatch said.

" Wainscoting and wallpaper are mold's best friend because it can

grow back there, and you don't know it, " he said. " In your lower

levels for sure, you do not want to do that kind of thing. "

New building materials, such as lumber, now can be treated to deter

mold and termites. Paperless Sheetrock also is now on the market.

Companies such as Lacroix Construction will help seal basements and

install Humidex systems to ventilate air.

These are just some examples of the products contractors now can put

in homes to help deter mold growth. Beatch has made many changes to

his homes over the past several years, particularly since settling a

lawsuit regarding mold growth.

To prevent insulation from wicking up moisture, which can lead to

mold growth, Beatch now shields it with a rigid insulation board

that won't absorb moisture. He hasn't offered treated lumber or

other new products yet but said he'll probably make it an option for

future customers.

He's added about $4,000 in expense to his homes in mold-prevention

products and better ventilation systems. The cost then is passed on

to the buyer.

Do some of it yourself

There are some simple ways to keep mold from growing in the home --

at least in large amounts.

First, if mold was caused by water damage or flooding, the problem

must be fixed, Wilkinson said.

That can be as simple as sealing windows better, cleaning out

gutters and moving downspouts so water is eight to 12 feet from the

house.

Sump pumps and making sure the ground slopes away from the house

also are important.

The EPA does have guidelines on how to get rid of mold.

On surface areas of more than 100 square feet, full containment and

use of protective equipment is recommended, according a document

called " Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. " It

also recommends discarding water-damaged materials.

Once the Howe family moved out of the home, all their belongings

were thrown in the garbage - photo albums, books, furniture -

because they might have had mold spores. It cost $90,000 just to gut

the house, Chad Howe said.

During the process, Howe said every company seemed to have a

different way of getting rid of the mold. One agency told him to

spray bleach and water on it, which Howe said seemed to make it grow

faster.

He made sure they removed all the Sheetrock in the house four feet

up from the wall to ensure no mold remained.

In the end, Howe filed for bankruptcy and nearly lost his house, and

his home insurance dropped him.

He's now willing to help people worrying about mold or water damage

because he " doesn't want them to put their faith in remediation

companies. "

" You really can't get a straight answer, " he said.

Besides preventing water from coming into the house, it's also

important to keep the home's air dry. Howe now has two dehumidifiers

and fans running all throughout the house to prevent moisture.

There are dozens of different options as far as air ventilation

goes, including the Humidex that LaCroix sells that circulates old

basement air out of the house.

" When your humidity is in control, it doesn't kill mold, but it puts

it at a steady state, " LaCroix said. That's why experts warn not to

turn off air conditioners or de-humidifiers during long vacations

from the home.

In the end, it's not a situation that can be blamed on any one

person, Beatch said.

" The main thing is not a particular product that's going to stop it,

it's all the products put together as a system that makes it work

and using common sense for both the builder and the homeowner in

controlling moisture, " Beatch said.

Reach Business Reporter Hildebrandt at 331-2322.

[Guest guest]

Interesting, talk about " tricks of the trade, " here is an article about the

physical and financial devastation from indoor mold exposure and the author

chooses to take the stand that, " the side effects of mold are mostly

speculative and not scientifically proven. " The author continues to

reinforce this

through a quote from an allergist in addition to a brief mention of the stand

by the EPA.

However, I am sure that this article served the purpose of using the couple

whose lives were devastated from indoor mold exposure to lure readers with

free advertising to the names of the contractors and environmental companies of

those listed in this article.

Bobbins, RN, LAc, QME

In a message dated 10/10/2006 10:10:59 AM Central Standard Time,

tigerpaw2c@... writes:

_http://www.argusleahttp://www.arhttp://wwhttp://w_

(http://www.argusleader.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?)

AID=/20061010/AID=/20061010/AID=/2006 PUBLISHED: October 10, 2006

" The side effects of mold are mostly speculative and not

scientifically proven. Recent concerns have spurred construction

businesses to prevent mold growth with new techniques and supplies. "

" Many people believe that these toxins can cause severe health

problems, but it's very much unproven, " explained Brennan, an

allergy specialist at Sioux Valley Clinic - Allergy.

" The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has never issued

regulations for airborne mold contamination and generally considers

it harmless for people in small amounts unless they suffer from

allergies or asthma. "

Mold forces builders to update techniques

Lennox family paid high price to evict spores

Sioux Falls Argus Leader - Sioux Falls,SD

KELLY HILDEBRANDT

Reach Business Reporter Hildebrandt at 331-2322

.._khildebr@argusleadekhild_ (mailto:.khildebr@...)

Asbestos and lead paint are environmental concerns of yesteryear

that once had homeowners scurrying to rid their homes of them.

Now the dirty word is mold.

It's been around forever, but a growing awareness and flurry of high-

priced litigation has caused contractors recently to change how they

build homes.

The side effects of mold are mostly speculative and not

scientifically proven. Recent concerns have spurred construction

businesses to prevent mold growth with new techniques and supplies.

Companies such as GeoTek Engineering & Testing Services Inc., which

does air-quality consulting, have never been busier. Tim Wilkinson,

with GeoTek, said they get up to five calls a week.

For Chad Howe, it's a real issue even if the health risks of mold

are unproven. Howe, a resident of Lennox, had a $169,000 mold

problem in a home he paid half that amount to buy.

Doctors have never directly linked his wife's health problems to the

mold growing behind the wainscoting all throughout his house. But

Howe has no doubt that was what caused the flu symptoms, hair loss,

blackouts and other problems.

" The sicker she got, the more she stayed in the house, which made it

worse, " Howe said.

Home builders such as Beatch, of Beatch Construction, now

must work to meet new energy efficiency standards while also letting

air circulate to prevent mold growth. Homeowners must try to

determine what kinds of mold are OK, if it really is that dangerous

and how to prevent and get rid of it.

Most innocuous

Mold is a part of every home. Right now, it's growing in various

nooks and crannies around your house.

Curtis Yost of AAA Home Inspections LLC finds molds of all kinds

fairly often in homes.

" Generally, by the time you see it on your walls, it's usually going

to be a lot worse behind the Sheetrock, " Yost said.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has never issued

regulations for airborne mold contamination and generally considers

it harmless for people in small amounts unless they suffer from

allergies or asthma.

Most molds can simply be wiped up with no problems, but large

amounts of mold can be unhealthy. It can be dangerous if it's

disturbed, which is why most companies suggest calling an expert.

Molds that release toxins, like stachybotrys, have been dubbed black

mold, and that is what people have grown suspicious of.

" Many people believe that these toxins can cause severe health

problems, but it's very much unproven, " explained Brennan, an

allergy specialist at Sioux Valley Clinic - Allergy.

Howe had seven different types of mold spores growing behind the

wainscoting in his home, some of which were the type that release

toxins.

He watched his wife suffer from health problems in 2001 that he

thought were flu related. But they didn't go away and culminated in

hair loss, blackouts and seizures.

A doctor suggested mold might be a problem, and Howe insisted he

didn't even see any mold in the house. Then one day, he pulled some

panels of wainscoting off the wall. Underneath, he found big

blotches of mold growing on the wall.

Once the house started to be torn apart, he saw that it was growing

behind the kitchen counters, built-in-hutch and other places.

" It was everywhere and in places you just wouldn't ever think to

look at, " he said.

Tricks of the trade

Stachybotrys typically grows on water-damaged materials, something

many Sioux Falls residents have experienced during flooding in past

years. Mold starts growing within 48 hours if damaged items such as

carpeting and Sheetrock aren't properly dried, Wilkinson said. It

also grows more easily on Sheetrock than plaster.

An offshoot of more-energy efficient homes is that air can't leak

out, and that creates better conditions for mold growth.

" They're wrapped so tight that moisture can't be leaked out of the

house, " said Dick LaCroix, of LaCroix Construction. Also, people are

using their basements more than in years past, LaCroix said.

Wainscoting, which was in Howe's home, is something most builders

try to avoid now, Beatch said.

" Wainscoting and wallpaper are mold's best friend because it can

grow back there, and you don't know it, " he said. " In your lower

levels for sure, you do not want to do that kind of thing. "

New building materials, such as lumber, now can be treated to deter

mold and termites. Paperless Sheetrock also is now on the market.

Companies such as Lacroix Construction will help seal basements and

install Humidex systems to ventilate air.

These are just some examples of the products contractors now can put

in homes to help deter mold growth. Beatch has made many changes to

his homes over the past several years, particularly since settling a

lawsuit regarding mold growth.

To prevent insulation from wicking up moisture, which can lead to

mold growth, Beatch now shields it with a rigid insulation board

that won't absorb moisture. He hasn't offered treated lumber or

other new products yet but said he'll probably make it an option for

future customers.

He's added about $4,000 in expense to his homes in mold-prevention

products and better ventilation systems. The cost then is passed on

to the buyer.

Do some of it yourself

There are some simple ways to keep mold from growing in the home --

at least in large amounts.

First, if mold was caused by water damage or flooding, the problem

must be fixed, Wilkinson said.

That can be as simple as sealing windows better, cleaning out

gutters and moving downspouts so water is eight to 12 feet from the

house.

Sump pumps and making sure the ground slopes away from the house

also are important.

The EPA does have guidelines on how to get rid of mold.

On surface areas of more than 100 square feet, full containment and

use of protective equipment is recommended, according a document

called " Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings. " It

also recommends discarding water-damaged materials.

Once the Howe family moved out of the home, all their belongings

were thrown in the garbage - photo albums, books, furniture -

because they might have had mold spores. It cost $90,000 just to gut

the house, Chad Howe said.

During the process, Howe said every company seemed to have a

different way of getting rid of the mold. One agency told him to

spray bleach and water on it, which Howe said seemed to make it grow

faster.

He made sure they removed all the Sheetrock in the house four feet

up from the wall to ensure no mold remained.

In the end, Howe filed for bankruptcy and nearly lost his house, and

his home insurance dropped him.

He's now willing to help people worrying about mold or water damage

because he " doesn't want them to put their faith in remediation

companies. "

" You really can't get a straight answer, " he said.

Besides preventing water from coming into the house, it's also

important to keep the home's air dry. Howe now has two dehumidifiers

and fans running all throughout the house to prevent moisture.

There are dozens of different options as far as air ventilation

goes, including the Humidex that LaCroix sells that circulates old

basement air out of the house.

" When your humidity is in control, it doesn't kill mold, but it puts

it at a steady state, " LaCroix said. That's why experts warn not to

turn off air conditioners or de-humidifiers during long vacations

from the home.

In the end, it's not a situation that can be blamed on any one

person, Beatch said.

" The main thing is not a particular product that's going to stop it,

it's all the products put together as a system that makes it work

and using common sense for both the builder and the homeowner in

controlling moisture, " Beatch said.

Reach Business Reporter Hildebrandt at 331-2322.